Four men have pleaded not guilty to charges related to an alleged plot to bomb sites in New York.

The suspects entered their pleas Wednesday during an arraignment at a federal court in White Plains, New York. Prosecutors say the men plotted to bomb a synagogue and a Jewish center and shoot down military planes.

The charges against the men - James Cromitie, David Williams, Onta Williams and Laguerre Payen - include conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction.

If convicted, they could face life sentences.

Authorities say three of the men are U.S. citizens and the fourth is of Haitian descent. They were arrested last month after allegedly buying what they thought were explosives from an undercover FBI informant and attempting to plant the devices at a synagogue.

A prosecutor said the suspects were "eager to bring death to Jews."

Authorities say Cromitie told an informant that his parents once lived in Afghanistan and he was angry about the killings of Muslims in Afghanistan and Pakistan by U.S. military forces.

Investigators do not believe the men had ties to foreign militant groups.